Developing Capacity for Health: A Practical Approach

Summary

An important new book on the challenges of building capacity in the public health sector in South Africa, with much relevance for developing countries elsewhere in Africa and around the world. With inputs from Mark Turpin and a case study by Andrea van der Merwe and Dr Tim Quinlan of the work done by Kessels & Smit at the Health Economics and HIV/AIDS Research Division (HEARD) at the University of Kwa-Zulu Natal, the book emphasises the value of an appreciative approach to building capacity. The book has a useful overview of thinking around capacity development and how it has evolved, and also takes a systems perspective, looking at collective capabilities and social capital development as well as individual development.